


If you want to keep me (you gotta love me harder)

by liannyeong



Series: If happy is her (I'm happy for you) [3]
Category: GOT7
Genre: Angst, Cheating, F/M, Fluff, Getting Back Together
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-15
Updated: 2021-02-15
Packaged: 2021-03-16 20:55:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,139
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29460126
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/liannyeong/pseuds/liannyeong
Summary: The mending of a relationship or…?
Relationships: Im Jaebum | JB/Original Female Character(s), Im Jaebum | JB/Reader
Series: If happy is her (I'm happy for you) [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2163819
Kudos: 7





	If you want to keep me (you gotta love me harder)

"Where are we, Jaebum?" Sujin asks when the male turns off the engine. Sujin still has no clue of what their date is supposed to be. Jaebum had driven them to a nearly full parking lot, where there is nothing but trees all around. There's not even a single building around. She wonders what could possibly be hidden in this forest.

"You'll see," Jaebum replies instead, a smile on his lips. He unbuckles his seat belt and nods outside of the car. "Come on."

Sujin shoots him an unconvinced look, but follows anyway. Donned in an oversized cream sweater and a pair of dark blue denim jeans, Sujin wonders if she picked out the wrong outfit for the occasion. Perhaps Jaebum wanted to do a sports activity in this forest. She glances at the male who's at the trunk of the car, getting who-knows-what from there. Jaebum isn't even dressed for a hiking exercise though: light grey shirt, black bomber jacket over it, paired with light-washed ripped jeans and sneakers. He didn't even style his hair, the same exact way when Sujin met him on their 'blind date' the week before. With those layers of clothes, there's no way he's going on a hike. There's no way any of them are hiking.

Jaebum pulls out a duffel bag then slams the trunk shut. He locks the car with the click of a button and beckons Sujin to follow. Dreadfully, Sujin trails behind him, praying hard that it's not what she thinks. Jaebum leads them up a pebbled trail and down, before Sujin finally sees an open field that stretches a few hectares, the perimeter lined with the dark green forests. She spots a pavilion in the center and a mass of people in front of it. Sujin expects Jaebum to lead them forward, but he stops at a spot further away from the crowd, near to the outline where the forest starts instead. He doesn't say anything as he places his duffel bag down and unzips it, pulling out a folded material. Jaebum lays out the mat under the shade of a tree, pinning it down with various weighty objects. Sujin just blinks at the male when he takes off his shoes and settles down comfortably on the mat. Jaebum pats down the space next to him -- an invitation for her to join him.

"A picnic?" Sujin asks as she toes off her flats, and takes the spot next to him, leaving a gap in between. Even though their position has no skin contact between them, Sujin still feels highly conscious of the male beside her. Very easily, they can transgress each other's boundaries if they want to. Sujin wonders if she even wants.

"Something like that," Jaebum says with a shrug. A little grin tugs at the corner of his lips. "You'll see soon enough."

Sujin just hums as a response and crosses her legs. She's unsure of what to do with her hands, so she places them on her lap, fingers fiddling with the hem of her shirt. Jaebum has already gotten comfortable at his spot. His legs are outstretched, his body leaning back with his hands as the anchor point. He looks so carefree, as if there exists no tension between them. It seems as if there was no huge fallout between them. Sujin knows she shouldn't think of such things when they're trying to mend their relationship, but it constantly nags at her. How can Jaebum be so relaxed and confident? How is it that he can pretend as if nothing happened?

The sound of rustling snaps Sujin from her thoughts. "I've got some soda, if you want," Jaebum says as he places the canned drinks at the empty spot between them. "I also brought some bread," he adds, dumping packs of sweet buns onto the mat.

"Thanks," Sujin says as she grabs a can of soda. She tries to busy herself with the food and drinks in front of her, alternating between sipping slowly from the can and nibbling on the bread.

Sujin pointedly avoids looking at Jaebum, eyes trained on the pavilion in the distance. She considers how the mass of people are facing the pavilion, all comfortable on their laid out mat, happily buzzing about. It's like they're all waiting for something to happen and when a crew comes onto the stage to set up the audio equipment, Sujin finally put two and two together: it's an outdoor concert. She doesn't know how to react. For one, Sujin is pleased that he didn't bring her out on a luxurious and fanciful date at a fine restaurant. Despite being surrounded with mosquitoes and flies and insects, there's something therapeutic being with nature. However, at the same time, Sujin wonders if she'll enjoy a concert she doesn't even know about. She wonders if she'll enjoy the type of music that may not be to her liking.

"Sujin-ah," Jaebum says. Sujin flicks her eyes to the male's face. He has shifted his position: legs half-crossed, back hunched forward. He's peering into her face, and Sujin tries not to cringe away. "Do you not like it here?"

Sujin blinks, mildly surprised by his question. Jaebum lets out a sigh as he continues, "You haven't spoke a word since we came here. I'm guessing you don't like it here."

"No, I don't feel that way," she speaks. Sujin scratches the back of her neck. "I don't _don't_ like this place. I'm just worried?"

"Worried?" Jaebum echoes, a frown etched on his face. "About?"

"Um..." Sujin trails off.

"Hey, if you don't like it here, you can just tell me, you know. I won't get mad. We can always go somewhere else."

"No, it's not that!" Sujin denies, hands up in front of her and waving desperately. She doesn't want Jaebum to get the wrong idea. She doesn't hate any of this. She drops her hands. "I'm just worried I wouldn't like the music here," she says lamely.

Jaebum looks at her with a blank look, and it feels like the world stops with that few seconds of silence. But then, her heart nearly stops when a smile breaks onto Jaebum's lips and he laughs. His eyes forming crescents, his teeth exposed, his laughter rings in the air. He arches his back, hands over his stomach, head thrown back. 

"You're adorable," Jaebum chuckles when his laughter finally died and he's back in his previous position. Sujin is taken aback by the sudden compliment (if that is considered to be one), her cheeks burning. She lets her head hang low, hoping to hide away her face.

"You're red," Jaebum points out. Sujin doesn't even look up, doesn't want to look at Jaebum in the eyes, afraid she'd turn even a darker shade of red. But Jaebum reaches out for her chin, a finger tipping it up, eyes peering into her face. Sujin makes a mistake of meeting his eyes, flushing even more. She slaps his hand away as a reflex, burying her face into her hands. Now, she wants nothing but to sink into the ground and hide away.

Jaebum doesn't stop though as he comments, "Why are you so red?" Sujin wants to curse at the male for pointing it out again. But at the same time, she wonders if he's teasing her. She feels his warm hands wrapping around her wrists and pulling her hands away from her face. A smile tugs at the corner of his lips. "Are you flustered from being called adorable?"

Oh, he's teasing alright.

"Ah, what do I do when you're so cute right now?" he teases, grinning.

Sujin wonders the same. What will he do? But the warmth of his hands are gone, and he's drawing back. His smile doesn't fade away when Sujin looks up, but his gaze are full of warmth and fondness that she swears her heart just melted.

"I won't do anything to you unless you're okay with it," he says, tone rather serious yet gentle. He smiles once more, and Sujin can't quite read it. It's as if he's disappointed that he doesn't have the same freedom as he used to in the past. It's as if he's restraining himself in so many ways just to make her comfortable with him again.

The sound of the tapping of a microphone booms over the field, interrupting their conversation. Jaebum doesn't spare her a second glance as he shifts himself to face the pavilion. Sujin does the same. She finally notices how the crowd has grown and she's thankful that Jaebum has chosen a spot far from the cluster of people. There's barely any space between two different cliques of people, no sense of privacy. The host starts talking about the concert setlist and the band invited, but none of the information goes into her head. Like a broken record, her mind just can't help but replay their close contact earlier and his words.

A band comes onstage, a group of five young men, each carrying an instrument: three guitars, one cajon, one keyboard. They bow to the crowd after they finished setting up, briefly introducing themselves before playing the first piece of music. Surprisingly, all of them take turns to sing, except for the drummer, and all of them have such beautiful voices. They performed a variety of genres, from upbeat music to slow ballads. Some songs are their original compositions, whereas others are covers of famous songs and singers.

Jaebum hums along to songs that he knows, softly singing to himself. It's a voice Sujin never realized she missed so bad. Jaebum had always sang in the showers, loud enough that she could hear whenever she was in the bedroom. Jaebum isn't a singer, but Sujin thinks he could easily pass off as one whenever he sings with emotions.

It turns out, Sujin doesn't even listen to the voices of the men onstage. Instead, with her knees tucked into her chest and her arms wrapped around it to keep there, Sujin has her head tilted to Jaebum's direction, listening to his voice. She watches in awe as the male sings. Her eyes wander from where his bangs nearly touches his brows, to the steep nose bridge, to the dip of his eyes, to the soft round nose, to his chapped lips. She watches as his lips form each syllable, focusing on the sound that comes out of it. She lets her eyes linger there for a few moments, before shifting her gaze back up. She traces the steep jawline of his, to the curve of his ear, then back to his eyes. As he sings, she notices how his eyes shut tight at certain parts. It's as if he's actually feeling the song with all of his heart, all of his soul. As if he means every single word that comes out of his lips. 

She must have stared for a long time for it took her a while to actually realize that Jaebum has stopped singing, that the concert is already over, that Jaebum has turned his head to stare back at her. She blinks, letting their eyes linger, never breaking the contact.

"You sing beautifully," Sujin utters, eyes blinking slowly.

"Thank you," Jaebum laughs awkwardly, his skin a little flushed. He seems happy with the compliment though, his lips curled up into a smile that makes him look boyish. "Let's go home."

Sujin nods, helping the male pack up before heading back to his car. The drive back to her apartment is a quiet one. Jaebum doesn't say anything until they finally stopped at the drop-off point of the building. 

"I hope you liked today. It isn't anything fun, but I still hope you enjoyed yourself."

Sujin smiles at him, assuring him as she says, "I really did. Thank you."

Jaebum nods. "See you soon?"

"Yeah, sure." Sujin unbuckles her seatbelt and pushes the door open. "Goodnight, Jaebum."

\---

It takes a few more dates before Sujin finally relaxes herself and be comfortable around Jaebum. She has allowed herself to smile more, laugh more, and be more talkative with the male. She no longer gives him curt replies nor disinterested looks. Jaebum seems much happier too. Nevertheless, they don't go further than smiles and laughter. They don't hold hands, don't hug, don't kiss, don't touch one another. It's still a boundary that they set between themselves, and as much as Sujin thinks she's ready to break down that wall, she's still hesitant. Jaebum probably wants it too, but neither initiates anything, still thinks the other needs more time.

It's a date at a carnival, which unsurprisingly, is packed with people. Which, unsurprisingly, makes it easy for Sujin and Jaebum to lose each other in the sea of people unless they stick together. Jaebum walks in front of her, a leather jacket hugging his broad shoulders, a black cap on. He clears the path for her to trail behind easily, but the mass of people pushing about each other still makes it difficult for her to pass through. Jaebum constantly turns back just to make sure she's right behind him and something about him looking out for her makes her heart race. She briefly wonders what he would do if she disappears halfway. Find her, maybe. It proves to be a bad time to be distracted for Sujin gets shoved aside by the current, losing Jaebum who continues to move forward. She tries to catch up, eyes trained on the back of the male's head, pushing against the current. But in her attempts to move forward, she loses sight of Jaebum. Pulling out her phone to dial the man would be a bad idea, considering the jostling which can slap her phone out of her hand. So Sujin continues to go forward, straining her neck out to spot the male.

Out of nowhere, a hand shot out and wraps itself around her wrist. Sujin nearly jumps in shock, but when she turns around, she lets out a sigh of relief for Jaebum has found her first. "Keep close," he says. He doesn't let go of her wrist as they propel forward together, all the way until the crowd is less dense and they have enough space to breathe easy.

There's nothing much on this side of the carnival, only booths that sell the usual cotton candy, popcorn and drinks and a unpopular rides. There's a Ferris wheel just a little down the path, and Sujin suggests they ride it since the queue is short. Jaebum just follows along, taking the seat opposite of her in the small capsule.

As the wheel turns and their capsule goes up, Sujin marvels at the sight of the lights. The night sky is illuminated by the lights of the carnival. It's a mini Ferris wheel, not too high to see the whole city landscape but Sujin still thinks the view is beautiful. She can see people from all walks of life clustered in the heart of the carnival, enjoying their time together. She feels contented.

She sneaks a glance at Jaebum, but is flustered when she finds that he's already staring back. She hopes the poor light doesn't give her red cheeks away. "W-what? W-why are you staring at me like that?" she stutters, and she internally curses herself.

"Nothing, it's just that... you look really happy." The lights from the rest of the carnival illuminates the side of his face, allowing Sujin to see the fondness on his looks. He looks beautiful in this dim light, as if he's a sculpture made from marble.

"Of course I am!" Sujin says, her lips breaking into a smile. "It's fun here!"

"Here?" Jaebum repeats quietly though Sujin can clearly hear with the stillness of the air. He leans back, so that the darkness engulfs his whole face. She wonders if he's disappointed, if he expected a different reply.

She opens her mouth to speak, but the capsule stops and the door swings open. The usher is already politely smiling as he gestures them to come out. Once out, Sujin wonders if something has shifted between them. There's some tension in the air, some tension in his shoulders, that Sujin has no idea how to address. She knows it has something to do with their minimal conversation during the Ferris wheel ride, but has no clue of what exactly is the problem. Jaebum doesn't say anything either as he gets them two cups of slushies. They sip on their drinks, quietly going further away from any other people. Sujin spots an empty bench and leads them there, settling down side by side. No words are exchanged, only the sound of their slurps.

Fireworks start exploding in the sky, and Sujin is in awe of the colors. It's not often she gets to see the beauty of the pyrotechnics in person, so it's a wonderful moment and memory to engrave in her mind.

Sujin sneaks a glance at Jaebum, who is pointedly watching the skies. His hands propped on the bench, the empty cup on his right. Sujin is thankful that the space between them is empty, so that she can scoot a little closer. She turns her attention back to the skies as she timidly reaches out, inch by inch, until her little finger touches the side of his hand. She bites her lower lip hard, holds her breath as she braves herself further. She's afraid Jaebum would flinch and pull his hand away but is surprised when his hand stays there -- very still -- as if waiting and daring her to go further. Nevertheless, Sujin feels his fingers spread wider -- an invitation so that she could easily worm hers into them. He turns his palm up, so that their fingers can interlock. Just like that, Jaebum engulfs the whole of her hand with his large palm, like a fire spreading through forests. Sujin's body burns up, dizzy at the warmth of his hand.

She can't even marvel at the beauty in the sky anymore, her own heart bursting into flames just like the fireworks. It's been that long since she last felt Jaebum's warmth, she doesn't even know she missed it so much. She feels the male closing the remainder of the gap between them, their side of their thighs touching, their arms bumping.

"Shall we go home?" Jaebum says like a whisper to her ear. Sujin nods, and they head back into the parking lot. Sujin doesn't slip her fingers out of his, keeps it entwined all the way until they have to part to get into the car.

Contrary to their first date weeks back, this time, their ride back home isn't quiet. Jaebum plays a list of songs that she knows so well, singing to each and every song. They laugh whenever they get confused with the lyrics, every time they sing off key, every time they went a beat early. Finally, Jaebum stops the car at the drop-off point of her apartment, head turned to her, watching as she unbuckles her seat belt. The light atmosphere has dampened a little, and Sujin fiddles with her fingers, not making an effort to alight yet. 

Jaebum looks at her expectantly, brows raised. Sujin clears her throat, then hesitantly asks, stuttering a little, "D-do you want to come up for awhile?"

Jaebum seems taken aback by her invitation, for his eyes are wider. She's nervous with his reaction and at the same time, flustered. The last time he was in her single apartment, it didn't end on a good note. But now, she hopes it'll be different. 

Jaebum smiles, but shakes his head. "It's fine," he says. "You must be tired. You should rest."

"I don't mind staying up a little bit more..." she trails off.

Jaebum shakes his head again. "It's fine, Sujin-ah." Then he hums, thinking for awhile before he says, "Maybe another time?" 

Sujin nods. "Okay."

"Goodnight, Sujin-ah." Jaebum smiles, eyes looking at her so fondly.

Sujin prepares herself to open the door, but halfway, she pauses. Then she turns around, ignoring the surprised look on Jaebum's face. She leans forward, over the gearshift, eyes focused on that one spot. She shuts her eyes as she comes closer. Her lips touch his cheek, then she applies some pressure. She hears a soft gasp from his lips. Slowly, she pulls away, a shy smile on her lips, her cheeks a shade of pink. 

"Goodnight, Jaebum-ah," she says softly, taking in the surprised look on his face before climbing out of the car. She waits by the side, waving him goodbye as he drives off.

\---

"Jaebum-ah, I have something to say," Sujin starts when she comes over to Jaebum's -- their -- apartment. The apartment hasn't changed a bit, still in the same way when Sujin left close to a year ago. Jaebum's shoulders tenses up, eyes on her like a preying eagle. He lets out a soft "Yeah?" and Sujin just had to reach out for his hand. She slips her fingers into his palm, rubbing circles on the back of it with her thumb. "I'm thinking of moving back in here. With you."

Jaebum's face light up, eyes gleaming like the stars in the night sky. He couldn't hide his joy, a wide smile plastered on his lips. "Really?" he asks excitedly.

"Yeah, really," Sujin replies, stepping closer towards the male. She takes his other hand, swinging their arms lazily. "I think it's time."

Jaebum smiles never fade, as he brings her hands up. He leans in and Sujin watches as he kisses the part where her fingers meet her knuckles. She blushes but doesn't pull away. If anything, she loves the way Jaebum is treating her like a princess. It truly is time for them to patch up and live under the same roof again. After all, Jaebum has been treating her right this time. Everything is falling into place.

Jaebum lowers their hands but pulls her even closer that she lightly bumps into his chest. All at once, he lets go of her hands and brings them up to wrap her body into a hug. Sujin swears she feels her pulse spike up, her ears pressed against where his heart is. She can hear the beating of his heart as rapid as hers. One of his hands around her waist, the other patting her head lightly. Sujin feels him tucking her head under his chin. Sujin feels her cheeks burn, and she hides her face into his chest, her hands bunching into the cotton material of his shirt on his back.

They stay like that for what seemed like an eternity, though Sujin would be more than willing to stay like that forever. When they pull away, the fondness in Jaebum's eyes is more profound. He brushes off her cheek then leans forward to kiss her forehead. Sujin lets out a soft gasp, surprised. If she thinks she couldn't turn any redder, she was dead wrong.

Jaebum pulls away a second time, ushering her to get comfortable in the couch as he prepares some snacks in the kitchen. He lets her take a pick on a movie to watch, but Sujin took way too long reading the synopsis of every movie listed on the screen so Jaebum ends up selecting one. They huddle up together on the couch, despite the large space left. Sujin keeps herself close to the male, linking an arm around his, head leaning on his shoulder. She can't seem to concentrate on the movie no matter how much she tries to. Perhaps the movie is a slow one, nothing to keep her at the edge of her seat, or perhaps she's more focused on the fact that Jaebum is right next to her. Or perhaps she feels finally at home, with the man she has loved with all her heart, in the house that they built together.

As if sensing that she's no longer paying attention to the scenes, Jaebum breaks the silence. "I'm thinking of a short getaway at the end of the month. Just like the Jeju trip you planned for us."

Sujin looks up from where she was resting her head. "So suddenly?"

"Well, I did promise you we could do another one," Jaebum says sheepishly, turning his head to look down at the female. "It'll be just the two of us again. What do you think?"

"Yeah, I'd like that."

Jaebum nods with a smile. "Alright, I'll be the planner this time."

"Okay, I look forward to the trip, _Mr Im_." Sujin chuckles at the use of honorifics, earning a tickle from Jaebum. She didn't even realize he had slipped his fingers to her waist until the tickling sensation comes suddenly. She shrieks which then blended into laughter as she wiggles her way out. The movie is forgotten as Sujin plays along, struggling to tickle the male. He's way too strong for her, and he doesn't even back down in the tickling battle, easily dominating and pushing her onto the couch. She laughs, oblivious to the way Jaebum's eyes have darken. Only when her eyes meet his, her laughter dies, that she realizes their position. Her hands are pinned next to her ears, Jaebum looming over her.

"J-Jaebum-ah..." she calls out, voice weak and powerless.

The movie plays in the background, the colors of the screen lighting the side of Jaebum's face. Sujin feels breathless from the weight of Jaebum's gaze and his body. She thinks things will escalate from here, but the heat in his gaze suddenly dissipates, as if the fog that blinded his eyes have cleared. He doesn't back away though. Instead, he frees a hand to cup her face. Sujin gasps at the warm sensation, his palm rough against her skin. His gaze softens as he rubs the pad of his thumb on her cheek. 

"Are you really sure about moving back in with me?" he asks lowly. 

Sujin gulps her spit, and she notices Jaebum's eyes following the motion of her throat. "Why? Do you not want me to?" she says back in a hushed voice.

Jaebum shakes his head slightly. He pushes himself off, sitting up. Sujin just blinks at the loss of the looming figure before sitting up too. Jaebum didn't shift away, seated where her legs are. "It's not that I don't want you to. I just don't want to pressure you."

"You're not. I want to," Sujin says. "I _really_ want to."

It takes Jaebum a few moments, eyes darting about on her face as if searching for something, before he's nodding slowly like he finally understood her words. "Okay... But can you wait until after our trip? Just in case you might feel you're not ready yet. Besides, you've probably got a lot to pack. You will need the extra time."

"Okay. I can settle with that."

\---

Jaebum never fails to surprise her. He didn't give her a clue about their short trip -- only smiling at her when she asks and only saying, "It's a secret" as an answer. She's left with a pout on her lips, arms folded across her chest as she looks out of the car, guessing out loud. Jaebum chuckles every time she tries, but doesn't shake his head or nod to it. Not a single damn hint were given.

The drive was a long one even though it's near the capital of South Korea, where they live. Apparently, it's just a few kilometers outside of the capital yet it takes them hours to reach. Sujin was already restless with no idea where they're heading, but it all ends when the road becomes a little bumpy and more winding, making her nauseous. Thankfully, when the car stops, Sujin didn't puke anything at all.

The moment she steps out, the fresh air hits her face, and she breathes easy. There's nothing much to see, only a vast space of land around, acting as a parking lot. Trees are all around the perimeter. It's almost like a forest trail as they navigate around the forest to get to their room. For a campsite concept, the architectural aspects of the buildings are modernized, nothing traditional -- the walls aren't made of wooden logs stacked together to form a cuboid. There are cabins of all sorts of shapes: trapeziums, domes, cylinders. Each cabin is so far apart from another that the silence that falls whenever they're not having any conversation is eerie. It's like they're the only ones in the area, away from any other single human being. There's no way they can hear their neighbors nor can they be heard by anyone. This thought brings a cold shiver down Sujin's spine. She's all alone with Jaebum. 

Jaebum leads them to the direction of the trapezium cabins. Sliding glass panels make the door, with opaque curtains that can be drawn for privacy. A wooden bench is situated just outside of the cabin. A PVC canvas material forms the roof of the cabin and a canopy for the wooden bench. When they enter their designated cabin, Sujin marvels at the minimalistic concept: a bed pressed against the leg of the trapezium prism shape of the cabin, clear glass windows on the opposite. Any further in would be the washroom, a small kitchen counter and a wardrobe lined up side by side. Jaebum places his duffel bag against the window, and does the same to her luggage bag. Sujin looks around, exploring the interior of the cabin.

Only when her eyes fall onto the neat bed, did a thought cross her mind. What are their sleeping arrangements? It slipped off her mind as she was so absorbed in admiring the surroundings. Jaebum doesn't seem fazed as he moves around the cabin, organizing his belongings in the washroom and the wardrobe. Even though Sujin has decided to move in with the male, she's still not truly ready to sleep on the same bed with him. The thought of it makes her cheeks burn, her heart race. She wants to ask, but decides against it. It might make the air awkward if she brings it up now. Besides, it's not a concern now, is it? It can be dealt with later when they're sleepy.

Sujin doesn't unpack her stuff entirely, only places her toiletries into the washroom, before heading out of the cabin. She sits at the bench, eyes wandering into the forest. 

"Do you want to walk around?" Jaebum's soft voice fills the air. Sujin nearly jumps up in excitement, nodding her head eagerly. Jaebum's gaze softens and he chuckles before nodding his head at the forest a few meters away.

Sujin easily slips her hands into his, the sides of their bodies touching as they enter the woods. They don't speak much as they stroll together. Even though their palms are clammy and sweaty from the walk, neither feels disgusted to pull away. It's early spring, the snow still thawing, flowers very slowly blooming into pretty colors.

There's a spot at the end of the trail, and Sujin sharply inhales, appalled by the scenery. Sitting through the winding road wasn't an effort in vain. Hiking up the mountain-like area wasn't a waste. The area is almost like the summit of a mountain. The high elevation gives a panoramic view of the capital. 

"Do you like it?" Jaebum asks.

" _Like_ it? I _love_ it! This place is so pretty!" Sujin squeals hard, unable to contain her excitement. She barely hears Jaebum's soft laughter as she googly-eyes everything around her. She fishes out her phone and starts snapping away multiple shots of the same angle. 

She's way too engrossed in taking the shots that she doesn't notice Jaebum being so close behind her, until she feels a hand on her waist and another sliding up to her hand that is holding the phone. Sujin nearly gasps when she feels his warm breath on her ear, heart thumping at the close proximity. Jaebum's finger grazes over hers, flipping the camera. He directs the phone higher to capture their waist and above. Jaebum wraps his arms around her waist, bending a little to rest his chin on her shoulder. Sujin tries her best to control the flush on her cheeks. Their cheeks pressed together, wide grins plastered on their lips, Sujin snaps a photo.

It happens almost in a blink of an eye, but with her eyes on phone screen, she can see it all so clear: Jaebum turns his head and leans in with his eyes closed, pressing his lips to her cheek. She freezes, shell-shocked at the sudden kiss. Jaebum's lips linger there before being pulled away. Sujin tilts her head to look at the male in person, blinking at him. Jaebum only shoots her a warm smile, before placing a hand around her neck, tipping their foreheads together. It's not the most comfortable position for her, with the way her hand is trapped between their bodies. So she drops her hand and turns her body. Their fronts pressed together, their foreheads still in contact, Sujin snakes her arms around Jaebum's waist. She lets out a contented sigh when Jaebum cups her face and kisses her forehead so softly.

Then he pulls away, breaking the embrace just so that he can hold her hand. He doesn't say anything as he leads them back to their cabin.

\---

Jaebum seems restless after his trip from the nearest grocery store. They had bought everything they needed for their meals but they had forgotten the charcoal. They couldn't grill the meat without a fire, so Jaebum decided to head to the nearest store. Sujin didn't notice anything until she sees the way Jaebum has been glancing out of the cabin from time to time, as if afraid someone would come knocking. Sujin did ask, but Jaebum only shook his head as a reply so she decides to leave him be. They split the cooking: Jaebum doing the grilling while she makes the stew. Jaebum is already back to his normal mood as they eat at the wooden bench outside. It's already pitch black, only the sound of the cicadas can be heard whenever silence falls between them. Nevertheless, there's nearly no space for silence when they keep chatting away and cracking unfunny jokes. When their stomachs are finally full and the plates are empty, Sujin takes the initiative to clear the table and clean the dishes. She tells the male to rest instead, for he had taken the trouble to drive for long hours.

As Sujin washes the plates, Jaebum comes creeping behind her like in the woods earlier. He wraps both his arms around her waist, nuzzling his nose into her neck. Sujin hums in content, tilting her head aside to let the male nuzzle closer. Jaebum drags her hair to the other side so that he can access more skin. Sujin feels a deep inhale on her neck, as if Jaebum is breathing her in. As if she's the oxygen to his lungs. Jaebum starts peppering soft kisses on the exposed skin, from her neck down to her shoulder then back to her jaw. Sujin quickly finishes her washing, then ruffles Jaebum's hair with her dried hands. 

She tears his hands away from her waist so that she can face the male fully. Jaebum's hands settle on the small of her back, holding her so gently. Sujin hooks her hands around the male's neck, and Jaebum lowers his head to press his forehead against hers. They sway slowly to no music but the rhythm of their heartbeats.

Sujin leans back a little, catching the way Jaebum's eyes wander on her face before it drops to her lips. He flicks his eyes back up, and Sujin realizes how dark and hooded his orbs are. A hand leaves her back and Jaebum's warm palm is on her cheek. Sujin revels in the way the pad of his thumb brushes the skin. His eyes gets even darker, the gaze dropping to her lips once more. It lingers there, and Sujin waits for him to close the gap.

But he doesn't, looking pained.

"Jaebum-ah," Sujin nearly purrs. "What are you waiting for?"

"I--" Jaebum breathes out. Impatient, Sujin tiptoes and leans forward, effectively sealing their lips together. She doesn't know when she closed her eyes for all she sees is black. But all her other senses are amplified. She can smell the smoky scent that stuck to his clothes from the grilling of meat, she can feel the weight of his hand on the small of her back and his rough palm on her cheek. She doesn't even realize she's exerting nearly all of her body weight until she feels Jaebum stumbling back. It's been so long since she last kissed Jaebum, and it just feels so good. 

They pull away moments later, breathless. But Jaebum starts chasing her lips again as he twirls them around and pushing her backwards until she gets knocked down onto the bed. Jaebum peppers kisses all over her face, whispering, "I love you." Then he starts kissing down her jaw to her neck, heaving repeatedly, _"I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you--"_

Sujin tangles her fingers in Jaebum's hair as he mouths at the area just underneath her ear before kissing her lips once more. As the night goes on, the kisses turn into wants, the touches turn into needs, the emotions inside spill out like an overflowing sink.

\---

Sujin wakes to an empty bed, and voices in the distance. It sounds like an argument and Sujin just wonders who would be screaming their lungs out right in front of someone's cabin. She sits up, rubbing her groggy eyes, pulling on some clothes before getting out of bed. She glances around but there is no Jaebum so she slides the door open and finally sees Jaebum. In the distance. With a woman. 

The woman's back is pressed against the bark of a tree, Jaebum's hands on either side of the woman's head, her fingers pulling on his collar, their lips touching. The voices from before are completely gone and it dawns on Sujin that it was from the two. She stares at the duo, utterly shocked and loss for words.

"J-Jaebum...?" she calls out timidly, hoping what she sees isn't real. Hoping who she thinks isn't who she thought.

That breaks them apart and only then did Jaebum snap his head at her direction. Horror is painted all over his face and with the way his eyes dilate, she swears his eyeballs could just pop out of its sockets and roll onto the floor. He hastily retracts his hands and turns on his heel, ignoring the woman underneath him earlier. "S-Sujin! It's not what you thi--"

It reminds her of the day she found out the truth. It reminds her of the day at the cafe near Jaebum's office building. It's way too similar to the past. It feels like she's living on loop, the same event happening again. Sujin barely registers Jaebum's long strides towards her, and the woman's yell after him, "Serves you right!" Sujin's eyes flick to the woman's face, and it's vaguely familiar to the one she saw back then. This woman must be Eunha, Sujin guesses. She's gorgeous, Sujin must admit, for her body is lean and all curves. Though she can't see her face upclose, she still reckons she's got a pretty face too. All at once, Sujin feels inferior and worthless. At the same time, she's confused and lost. 

Suddenly Jaebum's right in front of her, grabbing her by the shoulders and pushing her into the cabin. 

Her mind is hazy as it replays the scene and the many memories before it. Her mind starts piecing the information together, to arrive at a conclusion. The dates, the trip... It all makes sense. Just as how she recreated the memories back then, Jaebum did the same. Only that she was blinded with the thought that it's to rebuild the relationship that was broken. Jaebum had never wanted to mend their relationship, did he? It was all a plan to pull her down. A plan for him to get even. Jaebum had been looking out of the cabin throughout the day as if someone would come. To think he's actually expecting that Eunha to come... Sujin was too blind to see the truth but she does now. Her eyes finally focus onto Jaebum's face. Disbelief, hurt and anger all warped onto her face at once. "You're just trying to get back at me for leaving you, aren't you?"

Jaebum's mouth gape open to speak but Sujin cuts, "You wanted this to happen, didn't you? It was all part of your plan, wasn't it? You just wanted to hurt me again and again! What did I ever do to you for you to treat me like this?"

"I'd never--" Jaebum tries again, but is mercilessly interjected once more.

"I was that close to trusting you again. I was already accepting you back. But you just had to... You never wanted us to get back together, did you? You were so convincing about it, but all you ever wanted was to get even."

"No! That's not--"

"So how was it?" Sujin taunts. "Was it satisfying to play with my heart? Do you feel happy now? Have you had your fill of fun?"

"Is that what you think of me?" Jaebum raises his voice, hurt. "After all the time we spent together, that's how you think of me?"

"Then what do you want me to think?!" Sujin yells, nearly hysteric. "How could she come here if you didn't tell her where you are?"

"I didn't! I don't know how she did either! I bumped into her at the grocery store but she must have followed me here!" Jaebum retorts.

"Yeah, right," Sujin sneers, turning on her heels and to her luggage. "Of all grocery stores, you had to bump into her here," she mutters under her breath. She chucks all her belongings into her luggage bag, not bothering to arrange them neatly.

"Where are you going, Sujin-ah?" Jaebum's voice is full of desperation.

Sujin slams her luggage shut, snapping her head to face the male. "Away from you."

"Please believe me. I swear, I didn't know anything," Jaebum pleads. He grabs her wrist as she makes her way to the door, pulling her back. "I never had any intentions of hurting you. I love you, Sujin-ah, I wouldn't--"

Sujin wiggles her way free, cold eyes meeting his. "No. You don't love me. You never did," she spits. "I'm done with this."

"Sujin-ah--"

"Don't find me anymore. We're done." Sujin doesn't look back as she leaves.

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on [Tumblr](https://liannyeong.tumblr.com) and [Twitter](https://twitter.com/liannyeongfics).  
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